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Sunday, April 27, 2014

That thing that made female police officers cry

For so long the reputation of law enforcement in the country have consistently declined over the years brought about by countless crimes and corruption involving not just the ordinary police on the streets getting bribes from motorists but it also includes high ranking ones involving in large scale crimes. That is why we can not blame the public if they no longer put their trust in people in uniforms.

While it is true that many cops now a days can not be trusted, there are a few rare breeds who took the oath of serve and protect to heart. These are the four female law police officers who responded in the recent SM "Martilyo" gang siege in SM.

They put their lives on the line, setting aside all personal concerns when duty calls. They are as tough as any of their male counterparts. But when the management of SM pledged to give them free groceries every month for one year, they couldn’t contain their emotions and broke down in front of several people, including fellow officers, mall executives and some members of the media.

All four recipients – PO1 Juliet Macababbad, PO1 Delia Langpawen, PO1 Maricel Rueco, and PO1 Mercelina Bantiyag – were the brave women who were the first to respond when the Martilyo Gang hit SM Mall of Asia recently. The most senior of the group, Macababbad, was the one who exchanged shots with one of the gangmen. Langpawen served as backup, while Rueco and Bantiyag made sure civilians were brought to safety.

It was the first encounter for all four lady officers after being in the service for only a little over two years. Days after the incident, they admitted to still feeling the heebie-jeebies. Who would not? Aside from their own lives, hundreds of innocent lives were also in danger at that time. Sometimes, they would find themselves staring blankly during meals.

Would they do it again? Yes, they said, without thinking twice. These are the types of public servants we want protecting us in times of danger.

That’s probably why the SM management felt they needed to give them more than just certificates of recognition. These lady officers need a break from the regular routine of doing their personal groceries, and SM’s yearlong gift is definitely a welcome one.

Some of you may say, “groceries lang?” But for these modern heroes, the groceries will come a long way. They were not expecting this kind of display of gratitude from anyone anyway as they were just doing their duty. Be that as it may, gestures of gratitude that private companies like SM give can definitely help boost the morale of uniformed men and women.